Improvement in ballot-boxes



T, GHRISTIANSEN.

Ballot-Box.

No. 214,622. Patented April 22,1879.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OEFICE` THADE CHRISTIANSEN, OF BALTIORE, MARYLAND.

,IMPROVEMENT IN BALLOT-BOXES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 214,622, dated April 22, 187i) g application iiled February lll, 1879.

To all 'whom it may concer/n:

Be it known that I, THADE Cnnrsrmnsnn, of Baltimore city, State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ballot-Boxes; and I hereby declare the same to be fully, clearly, and exactly described as follows, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a plan view of the box, the lid being removed; and Fig. 2 is a central vertical sectional view of the same.

My invention has for its object to furnish a ballot-box which it is practically impossible to stuft by reason of the cancellation of all properly-Voted tickets, the announcement of their entrance into the ballot-box by a stroke ot a bell, and by the coincident impression of a mark upon a iillet of paper furnished by the Federal or municipal authorities as the case may be.

In the accompanying drawings, A is the box proper, having a hinged lid, adapted to be sealed by a signature-lock or in any other desired way. A pair of rollers, a c, are arranged to revolve in contact with each other7 being geared together by means of cog-wheels c e. These rollers are covered with rubber or equivalent elastic material, a", and one ot' them is provided with a series of teeth or points, a', which may be arranged to form definite characters. The roller having the teeth need not necessarily be covered with rubber; but, by preference, it is. An ordinary inking-roller, g, is mounted in the box in such manner as to ink the teeth a.

The shalt of one of the rollers carries an arm, cf, which, as the roller is revolved, engages with the elapper c of a bell, C, and a crank, E, having a suitable handle, is secured to one of the roller-shafts. B is a partition near one side ot' the box A, forming a compartment, within which is mounted the wheel b, which carries the lillet of paper b. This latter is led between the rollers d d', which are similar in size and construction to the rollers c a, one of them being provided with teeth D, as shown in Fig. l.

D is a rod, which passes through the box from sidel to side, and is adapted to slide longitudinally to a distance measured by that between the exterior knob and a pin, j'. Then withdrawn to the position shown in Fig. l, a lock, G, is secured through the rod on the outside of the box and contiguous thereto. ln this position the rod extends, as shown, sutticiently far to prevent the rotation or" the rollers by interfering with the crank. This rotation is further prevented by the peculiar construction ot' the rod within the box, a slot, d, being formed in the rod, which admits of the passage of the arm c when the rod is retracted, but defeats it when it is drawn out, as shown.

ln operation, the iillet ot' paper being led between the rollers d' d andthe rod being re traeted, the ballots are inserted through the funnel F. As the crank is turned the rollers a a seize the ballot, which, in passing between them, receives the impression of the teeth a. and falls into the box. Goincidently the bell rings and a mark is made on the iillet et paper. When the poll is closed the rod is drawn out aud locked in the position shown in Fig. l, preventing the insertion of any more ballots.

As the number ot' tickets properly voted must necessarily agree with the number oi' marks on the fillet b, a complete check is i'urnished against stutling the box with single tickets, while the peculiar arrangement of the rollers a a serves to intallibly prevent the undetected insertion oi pudding tickets.7 Every ballot which passes between these rollers receives an impression from the teeth a', and every properly-voted ballot is inked at the same time. The enveloping ticket, ofcourse, prevents the inking ot' its contents, which, when the box is opened, must stand confessed.

The rubber covering of the rollers serves to rmly grasp the ticket while admitting ot' its being indented by the teeth a.

The term pudding ticket,77 above used, designates the form of ballot alleged to be in somewhat general use in the larger cities. lt consists et' an enveloping ticket of the proper size and shape, folded together, and inclosing a number ot' other tickets. My invention is designed to prevent their use or to detect and expose it.

tained within a compartment of the box having the llet-Wheel b, as described.

4. In a ballot-box having a pair of rollers for receiving the ballots, mechanism operated What I claim is- 1. In combination With the rollers et a and arm c', the slotted bar D, substantially as described. f

2. In combination with the rollers al a, el d', from Without the box for locking the rollers and arm c,the bell C,and fillet b, substantiallyr when desired, substantially as set forth. as described. l 3. The box A, containing the rollers t ct, adapted to receive and mark the ticket, as set forth, in combination with the rollers d d', con- THADE GHRISTIANSEN. 1 Witnesses:

R. D.v WILLIAMS, GEO. H. PIsTEL. 

